ARRL Letter

***************
The ARRL Letter
Vol. 20, No. 44
November 2, 2001
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IN THIS EDITION:
* +Sharing bands a ham radio reality
* +"Band threat" proceeding now accepting e-comments
* +Texas youngsters enjoy "ARISS adventure"
* +Georgia to host next USA ARDF championships
* +Ham radio's senior sailor on his way home
* +A random act of kindness in Florida--compliments of hams
* IN BRIEF:
This weekend on the radio
VY1JA to be QRV during November CW Sweepstakes
ARISS establishes European QSL service
+Dayton Hamvention awards deadline looms
Les Belyea, N7AIK, SK
Texas hams assist flag run
Morse Code to be featured on upcoming X-Files episode
+Available on ARRL Audio News
===========================================================
Editor's note: Due to a scheduled vacation, the November 2 editions of The
ARRL Letter and ARRL Audio News are being distributed on October 31. There
will be no editions of The ARRL Letter and ARRL Audio News for Friday,
November 9. ARRL solar/propagation bulletins will be posted on the ARRL Web
site. Breaking news will be posted on the ARRL Web site
<http://www.arrl.org/>, as an ARRL Bulletin or as a Special Bulletin to
Letter subscribers. The ARRL Letter and ARRL Audio News will return Friday,
November 16.--Rick Lindquist, N1RL
===========================================================
==>SHARING SPECTRUM WITH OTHER SERVICES A HAM RADIO REALITY
Amateur Radio operators can get mighty territorial when they perceive that
some other radio service is intruding upon "their" turf. What many hams
often don't understand, however, is that Amateur Radio is a secondary
service in the US on several popular bands or subbands. As such, it's
subject to interference from primary radio service occupants and, by law,
must avoid interfering with them. And, of course, ham bands are not all the
same everywhere in the world.
Hams share most of their spectrum--especially the UHF and microwave
allocations--with other users, typically the US Government and Fixed and
Mobile services. The popular 70-cm band, 420-450 MHz, is a good case in
point, says ARRL Field and Regulatory Correspondent Brennan Price, N4QX.

"Amateur use of the 70-cm band is secondary to government radiolocation
services in the US, so hams must tolerate interference from the primary service
and may not QRM it," Price explained. No operation in the 420-430 MHz band
is permitted north of Line A which extends just south of the Canadian border
from Maine to Washington state. 50-W output power limitationjs apply to
operations near certain US military installations as documented in Section
2.106, US Footnote 7 and mentioned in The ARRL's FCC Rule Book.

Price notes, however, that military use of the band is not confined to these
areas, and the band is utilized aboard aircraft. "We occasionally receive
inquiries from amateurs who complain of 70-cm disruptions when military
planes fly overhead," said Price, who also serves as the ARRL Monitoring
System coordinator. "We have every reason to believe that the current spate
of widely heard disruptions is due to high-altitude airborne operations by
the band's legal, primary occupant--the US Government." The 420-430 MHz
segment is allocated on a primary basis worldwide to the Fixed and Mobile
(except Aeronautical Mobile) services.
Two meters--144 to 148 MHz--is an exclusive allocation in ITU Region 2,
which includes North and South America. US hams who have taken along an H-T
while vacationing in Europe or elsewhere in Region 1, however, know that the
2-meter band in that part of the world is 144-146 MHz. In Region 3, hams
have exclusive access to 144-146 MHz and share 146-148 MHz on a co-primary
basis with Fixed and Mobile Service stations.
Six meters--50 to 54 MHz--is an exclusive ham allocation in Regions 2 and 3,
but the band is allocated exclusively for broadcasting in Region 1--although
certain countries do allow limited 6-meter operation.
The sharing news is much better on the higher HF bands. The 20, 17, 15, 12
and 10-meter bands are allocated to the Amateur Service on an exclusive
basis worldwide--with a few minor exceptions for the high end of 20. On
other HF bands, some sharing occurs.
On 30 meters--10.1 to 10.15 MHz--hams are secondary to non-US Fixed Service
stations throughout. Amateurs must avoid harmful interference to these
stations.
The 40-meter band is currently the focus of an effort supported by the
International Amateur Radio Union and ARRL to obtain a 300-kHz worldwide
exclusive allocation. Most of the world does not have access to the 300
kHz-wide swath from 7.0 to 7.3 MHz that US hams enjoy. In the rest of the
world, the upper two-thirds of 40 is dominated by broadcasters. This issue
is on the agenda for the 2003 World Radiocommunication Conference
<http://www.arrl.org/announce/regulatory/WRC-03/>. One suggested remedy
would shift the allocation downward to create a 300-kHz worldwide band at
6.9 to 7.2 MHz.
The 80/75-meter band--3.5 to 4.0 MHz--is exclusive to the Amateur Service in
the US. Elsewhere in Region 2 hams have exclusive status from 3.500 to 3.750
MHz and share the rest of the band with foreign Fixed and Mobile services on
a co-primary basis. Amateurs in Regions 1 and 3 share parts of the band with
Fixed and Mobile. There is no amateur operation allowed above 3.8 MHz in
Region 1, which includes Europe.
The 1.8 to 1.9 MHz segment of 160 meters is exclusive to US amateurs. Hams
in the US are secondary on 1.9 to 2.0 MHz to the primary Radiolocation
Service (government and non-government).
A table of US Amateur Radio allocations is available on the ARRL Web site
<http://www.arrl.org/FandES/field/regulations/USbands.pdf>. The "Considerate
Operator's Frequency Guide" details band plans for Amateur Radio
<http://www.arrl.org/FandES/field/regulations/conop.html>.
==>"BAND THREAT" PROCEEDING NOW AVAILABLE FOR E-COMMENTS
The FCC conceded this week that it had failed to properly post the Notice of
Proposed Rule Making and Order in ET Docket 01-278 on its Web site. As a
result, those hoping to voice their opinions in the proceeding--which poses
a potential threat to Amateur Radio--were unable to find the document to add
their electronic comments. An FCC spokesperson blamed human error.
The ARRL contacted the FCC earlier this week in an effort to rectify the
problem. The NPRM&O now is available on the FCC's Electronic Comment Filing
System Web site <http://www.fcc.gov/e-file/ecfs.html>. When searching, enter
"01-278" in the "Proceeding" box in the "Search for Filed Comments" window.
The ET 01-278 proceeding deals in part with a potential band threat to the
popular 70-cm band from a Part 15 RF identification device proposed for
deployment by SAVI Technology (see the Threats to our Amateur Bands page
<http://www.arrl.org/news/bandthreat/> for details). The ARRL has argued
that the FCC lacks authority under the Communications Act of 1934 to permit
unlicensed devices with substantial interference potential and that such
devices must be licensed.
The ARRL also is looking into the interference potential posed to 20 meters
by a proposal to increase the maximum emission levels permitted in the 13.56
MHz Industrial, Scientific and Medical band as well as the maximum level of
out-of-band emissions.
Commenters are advised to read paragraphs 20-27 of the NPRM&O (also
available on the ARRL Web site
<http://www.arrl.org/news/stories/2001/10/19/1/290a11.html> before
commenting.
The proceeding incorporates two earlier rule making petitions, RM-9375, and
RM-10051, which had existing document lists for the addition of comments.
The FCC told ARRL that those wishing to file comments need only reference ET
Docket 01-278, however. Comments need not be copied to the existing RM-9375
and RM-10051 lists.
Members of the Amateur Radio community may file comments using the ECFS
<http://www.fcc.gov/e-file/ecfs.html>. Commenters should include their full
name, US Postal Service mailing address, and the applicable docket or rule
making number--in this case ET 01-278.
It's also possible to e-mail comments via the ECFS. To obtain e-mail filing
instructions, commenters should send an e-mail to ecfs@fcc.gov and include
the words "get form <your e-mail address>" in the body of the message. A
sample form and directions will be sent by reply e-mail.
==>TEXAS ELEMENTARY SCHOOLERS ENJOY ARISS ADVENTURE
Fifteen youngsters in grades three, four and five used ham radio to
interview International Space Station Expedition 3 Crew Commander Frank
Culbertson, KD5OPQ, from the McWhirter Elementary School in Webster,
Texas--not far from Johnson Space Center. The Amateur Radio on the
International Space Station, or ARISS, contact October 23 was handled via a
teleconferencing linkup with ZS6BTD in South Africa.
Operating as NA1SS, Culbertson recognized some of the youngsters and asked
them to convey his regards to their families. The contact occurred shortly
after the Soyuz "taxi" crew had arrived at the ISS, bringing aboard three
additional crew members.
In answering the dozen or so questions posed, Culbertson pointed out that
the ISS includes protection to break up small meteors. The ISS can be
maneuvered from the ground to avoid large objects spotted in advance by
radar, he explained.
To a question about how his two dogs would fare aboard the ISS, Culbertson
replied that he thought dogs would have a difficult time in space because
they don't have hands to hold onto the handrails. "They'd have a hard time
staying in one place and would probably get disoriented and would probably
try to run in the middle of the module," he said. "So I don't think they
would enjoy it very much unless they had some way of staying on the floor,
like a lot of Velcro on their feet."
Another student asked about the September 11 attacks. Culbertson said he and
his two Russian crewmates were able to see the result of the attacks from
the ISS and were very troubled. "It seems strange to me that people would
want to attack our country when we do so much good for the rest of the
world," he said, "and we're trying to do good things with other countries up
here and I hope that sets a good example for the future."
"I think all the kids had a great time. This was a great learning experience
for each of us," said McWhirter Elementary Principal Cindy Stamps. Gene
Chapline, K5YFL, was the ARISS mentor for the contact.
On Tuesday, October 30, Kolling Elementary in Schererville, Indiana, had a
successful ARISS contact with Culbertson, operating NA1SS on the ISS. The
control op was John Gianotti, W9WY. Seventeen students had their questions
answered.
More information on the ARISS program is available on the ARISS Web site,
<http://ariss.gsfc.nasa.gov>.
==>GEORGIA TO HOST 2002 USA ARDF/RADIO-ORIENTEERING CHAMPIONSHIPS
ARRL Amateur Radio Direction Finding (ARDF) Coordinator Joe Moell, K0OV, has
announced that the Georgia Orienteering Club will host the second USA
ARDF/Radio-Orienteering Championships. The event will take place April
19-21, 2002, at F. D. Roosevelt State Park near Pine Mountain.
The USA ARDF/Radio-Orienteering Championships are open to all, from
beginners to experts from the US and elsewhere, and no Amateur Radio license
is needed to compete. The 2002 competition will feature 2-meter and 80-meter
ARDF events. Participants will compete in age/gender categories with awards
given for first, second and third-place finishes in each. Awards will be
presented in two divisions, Overall and USA-Only.
Details, including rules and registration forms, are on the Georgia
Orienteering Web site, <http://www.mindspring.com/~sam.smith/gaoc>. Click on
the "Radio-O Champs" link (under Special Events). The GAOC site includes
information on lodging options.
The next ARDF World Championships in fall 2002 will be held in Slovakia, and
positions on Team USA for that event will be determined by individual
performances at Pine Mountain and at the USA Championships in Albuquerque
that were held this past August (see "The 2001 USA ARDF Championships are a
Winner!" <http://www.arrl.org/news/features/2001/08/24/1/?>).
For additional information on Amateur Radio direction finding, visit Joe
Moell's Homing In Web site, <http://www.homingin.com/>.--Joe Moell, K0OV
==>HAM-SAILOR SETS SAIL FOR HOME
Ham radio's senior sailor David Clark, KB6TAM, set sail this week from
Trinidad to complete the final leg of the adventure of his lifetime. Clark,
who is 77, is attempting to become the oldest person to sail solo around the
globe. He plans to arrive back in Ft Lauderdale, Florida, on December 7.
Clark has been using Amateur Radio aboard his vessel to keep in touch with
his family and friends.
His immediate goal is St Croix in the US Virgin Islands, said his wife,
Lynda, but if the weather cooperates and everything goes well he may proceed
directly to Great Inagua in the Bahamas. "This is technically the completion
of the goal, since his outgoing and incoming paths will cross again--where
he checked out and will check in again," Lynda Clark said. "However, we will
feel he has finished the goal when he reaches Ft Lauderdale where we all
said good-bye to him two years ago."
Accompanied by his dog, Mickey, Clark departed South Florida in December
1999 in the 44-foot steel-hulled sloop, the Mollie Milar--named for his
mother. Mickey was lost and Clark himself nearly died after the vessel sank
last February off the coast of South Africa. Not one to give up that easily,
Clark was able to purchase another sailboat--a smaller one that he named
Mickey--and resumed his quest in April. He's been sitting out the Atlantic
hurricane season in Trinidad, where he arrived in July.
Clark was expected to be checking in on the 20-meter Seafarer's Net on
14.313 MHz. The final leg from Trinidad to Fort Lauderdale is approximately
1500 miles.
For more information on Clark's journey, visit these Web sites
<http://www.dclark.com> and <http://www.captainclark.com>.
==>HAMS UNDERTAKE A RANDOM ACT OF KINDNESS IN FLORIDA
It had very little if anything to do with ham radio Saturday, September 21,
when the Dade County Amateur Radio Public Service Corps organized a group of
active hams in Southern Florida to spruce up the Flight 592 Memorial. Many
of the hams involved had helped provide communication in the aftermath of
the 1996 ValuJet crash in the Everglades.
The amateur volunteers put in some 40 work hours pulling weeds and grubbing
out their roots, killing ant colonies, applying herbicides, cutting grass,
sweeping, refilling missing sand, re-leveling brick walkways and piling up
the debris--mostly natural overgrowth. About a dozen hams participated in
the effort.
"These folks do this kind of thing without request, but because there is a
need to care," said ARRL Southeastern Division Vice Director Evelyn Gauzens,
W4WYR. "This group of amateurs are very special people with hearts as big as
the whole world."
Family members of Flight 592 victims also expressed their appreciation for
the effort. This comment was typical of several posted on the Flight 592
Memorial Web site <http://www.flight592.com/>: "I want to thank you from the
bottom of my heart for what you did. It was a wonderfully selfless act and
greatly appreciated. Those of us who live too far away and are unable to see
to the care of the memorial are greatly touched by the generosity of
strangers. Thank you again and God bless you."
Additional information and photographs are available on the South Florida FM
Association Web Page <http://sffma.net/cleanup.htm>. Said Ray Vaughan,
KD4BBM "To everyone who helped, we did make a difference. Let's do it
again."
__________________________________
==>IN BRIEF:
* This weekend on the radio: The ARRL November Sweepstakes (CW), the ARCI
Running of the QRP Bulls and the North American Collegiate ARC Championship
(both in conjunction with SS), the IPA Contest (CW/SSB), the Ukrainian DX
Contest, and the High-Speed Club CW Contest are the weekend of November 3-4.
JUST AHEAD: the Japan International DX Contest (SSB), the Anatolian ATA
PSK31 Contest, the WAE DX Contest (RTTY), the ARRL International EME
Competition, the OK/OM DX Contest (CW) and the CQ Western Electric Contest
are the weekend of November 10-11. See the ARRL Contest Branch page,
http://www.arrl.org/contests/ and
http://www.hornucopia.com/contestcal/weeklycont.html for more info.
* VY1JA to be QRV during November CW Sweepstakes: With thanks and
appreciation to J Allen, VY1JA, Rick Lindquist, N1RL, will be at the helm of
VY1JA, Yukon Territory, for the 2001 ARRL November CW Sweepstakes
<http://www.arrl.org/contests/announcements/rules-novss.html>, November 3-4.
J reports the antennas and the amplifier are working (the latter thanks to
the prompt and courteous attention of Ameritron and Martin Jue, K5FLU),
and--aurora permitting--VY1JA will be QRV to help complete those clean
sweeps. Some post-contest operation as N1RL/VY1 also is possible and may
include UO-14 and FO-27 activity from CP20. The five-day forecast for
Whitehorse calls for snow and temperatures no warmer than freezing.
* ARISS establishes European QSL service: The ARISS Europe QSL service now
is prepared to handle European requests for NA1SS QSL cards. Requests for
ARISS QSL cards go to ARISS-Europe QSL Bureau, AMSAT-France, 16 rue de la
Vallťe, 91360 Epinay Sur Orge, FRANCE. Requestors should include a
self-addressed envelope and two International Reply Coupons (IRCs) to cover
the handling cost.
* Dayton Hamvention awards deadline looms: The Dayton Hamvention now is
accepting nominations for its Amateur of the Year, Special Achievement, and
Technical Excellence awards. The deadline for nominations is January 31,
2002. All amateurs are eligible. The Amateur of the Year Award goes to an
individual who has made a long-term, outstanding commitment to the
advancement of Amateur Radio. The Technical Excellence Award is for the
person who has made an outstanding technical advancement in the field of
Amateur Radio. The Special Achievement Award honors someone who has made an
outstanding contribution to the advancement of Amateur Radio, usually
someone who has spearheaded a significant project. The Hamvention Awards
Committee makes the decision on all awards based in part upon the
information it receives--and not on the number of nominations submitted.
Documentation that informs the Awards Committee of a candidate's
accomplishments may include magazine articles, newsletters, newspaper
clippings, and even videos (these materials become the property of
Hamvention and will not be returned). Nominations may be submitted by mail
to Hamvention Awards, PO Box 964, Dayton, OH 45401-0964, or by completing
the e-form on the Dayton Hamvention Web site <http://www.hamvention.org>.
Click on the "Award Nominations" link.
* Les Belyea, N7AIK, SK: Former ARRL Montana Section Manager Leslie C. "Les"
Belyea, N7AIK, of Belgrade, Montana, died October 22. He was 65. Belyea
served as Montana's SM from 1981 until 1987. Montana Section Manager Darrell
Thomas, N7KOR, said Belyea was active in emergency communications and as
manager of the Montana Net. "He will be greatly missed," Thomas said. An
ARRL member and an Extra class licensee, Belyea taught theory and Morse code
classes for prospective hams. A native of Michigan, he had served in the US
Marine Corps and later worked for Frontier and Continental Airlines and for
Sunbird Aviation--never missing a day of work. Upon retiring, he restored
vintage farm machinery and was an avid golfer. Survivors include a daughter,
a son and a brother. Many of Belyea's Amateur Radio friends attended a
service held October 28. Memorial contributions in Belyea's memory are
invited to ARRL, 225 Main St , Newington, CT 06111.--some information
supplied by Bozeman Daily Chronicle
* Texas hams assist flag run: Members of the Irving (Texas) Amateur Radio
Club supported the Americans United Flag Across America event October 27-28,
as the US flag passed through their community on its way to the West Coast.
The grass roots effort, sponsored by American Airlines and United Air Lines
employees, is seeking help from the Amateur Radio community to provide
short-range communications as the run progresses across the US along a
southerly route. "The event is to honor the crew and passengers who died
September 11, to show the American Spirit and to raise money for established
relief funds, said American Airlines Captain Bill Lokes. Runners started in
Boston on October 11 and are scheduled to arrive in Los Angeles November 11.
IARC helped with communication and transportation during the Irving segment
of the run. "Our help was really needed and was greatly appreciated by the
local run organizers and participants," said IARC Secretary Bill Byrom,
N5BB. Dave Finley, N1IRZ, reports that the National Radio Astronomy
Observatory (NRAO) in Socorro, New Mexico, will host the runners and support
personnel of the Americans United Flag Across America when it reaches New
Mexico Novembe 4. More information is available on the Americans United Run
Across America Web site. Amateur Radio clubs or groups interested in
assisting are invited to contact Bill Lokes, 610-767-9246; blokes@fast.net,
or Gene Atwell at 215-348-1594; atwell@mindspring.com.
* Morse Code to be featured on upcoming X-Files episode: Rob Ginkowski,
WA6CW, of Hollywood, California, served as a technical adviser to The
X-Files star Robert Patrick for an upcoming episode. Patrick's character,
John Doggett, was in a hospital bed, paralyzed, and was required to send a
Morse code message by tapping his index finger. WA6CW (who also works as an
actor) taught Patrick how to tap out the message at about 5 WPM. "He was a
fast learner," Ginkowski commented. No word on what the message was, but it
might be, "The truth is out there." The episode, entitled "4-D," is
scheduled to air Sunday, December 9, on the Fox TV Network.
===========================================================
The ARRL Letter is published Fridays, 50 times each year, by the American
Radio Relay League--The National Association For Amateur Radio--225 Main St,
Newington, CT 06111; tel 860-594-0200; fax 860-594-0259;
http://www.arrl.org. Jim Haynie, W5JBP, President
The ARRL Letter offers a weekly e-mail digest of essential news of interest
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